Rotor hub mounting for a rotary wing aircraft



7, 1953 V M. F. BATES R6TOR HUB MOUNTING FOR A ROTARY WING AIRCRAFT File d Sept. 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR IW RTIMER EBATES I I TORNE p 1 April 7, 1953 M. F. BATES ROTOR HUB MOUNTING FOR A ROTARY wmc AIRCRAFT Filed Sept. 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MORTIMER 5/7 755 T'i'ORNEY,

April 7, 1953 M. F. BATES ROTOR HUB MOUNTING FOR A ROTARY wmc- AIRCRAFT Filed Sept. 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR MORTIMER FTB/I TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 7, 1953 ROTOR HUB MOUNTING FOR A ROTARY WING AIRoRAFT Mortimer F. Bates, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to I The Sperry Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application September 20, 194s, Serial No. 698,199

8 Claims.

This invention relates to rotary wing aircraft, and, in particular, to improvements in the sustaining means and rotor head therefor. It is proposed herein to provide an aircraft, of the rotary wing type, with a rotor mounted to be tiltable in any direction, and with Wings pivotally mounted on the rotor to be movable in pitch.

' In accordance with the instant invention, a rotor is mounted on the fuselage-of a'rotary wing craft to be relatively 'tiltablethereto; in an amount slightly greaterthan the-relative tilt eX- pected to be encountered in flight. Novel bearing means are provided for transmitting the lift from the sustaining means to the aircraft fuselage for any condition of rotor tilt.

Another principal feature of this invention rehe booster mechanism, may be incorporated within the wing root. Said booster mechanism may be empowered through rotation of the rotor relative to a non rotatable disc tiltably mounted on said rotor;

Further features reside in arranging the non-1 rotatable disc or flat ring, to be tiltable with the rotor and constantly parallel to theplane of the wing tip path, thereby affording a mounting for vertical reference instruments, rendering said instruments completelyfree of spurious. fuselage motion and alsoserving to provide a direct and positive means for ascertaining the flight attitude of the wings with the reference to the hori- Fig. 4 is a persp'ective, partly in section, showing the spherical segments utilized in obtaining cyclical pitch control;

' 2 Fig. 5 is a cross section taken through a horizontal plane about midway through the pitch control mechanisms;

Fig. 6 is a cross section illustrating the twof segment wings;

.Fig. '7 is a cross section, through the inner wing, illustrating the through box spar arrangement; and i i r Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing the mech-' anism for obtaining pitch control of the outer wing segment.

Now referring to Fig.1, the fuselage of the, aircraft H has anopening through which the driving shaft, I2 is extended from the Oldham coupling at l3. At the top of the drive shaft 12 is located a universal joint M on which the crown member or rotor hub 15 is mounted to be 'tiltable in any direction. On the rotor hub [5 a plurality of stub shafts l6 may be mounted. These stub shafts are arranged to have a fixed coning angle with each other. The built-in coning angle being a well known method of reducing bending moments in a rigid lift rotor structure. i p

The rotor hub 15 has a peripheral ball bear ing arrangement [1 in which a' plurality of ball bearings are mounted. Through this arrange-g ment, lift that is obtained from the wings: is transmitted through the ball bearing arrangement I1 and therefrom to the disc or ring 19 This ring I9 is provided with means for prevent. ing rotation thereof and this means comprises a ball socket 2| rigidly mounted on ring l9 and supporting thelever arm 22 through a ball member [8 within the socket 2|. The arm 22 is at'-.. tached through pivot 23 to the lever arm 24 and thence, through the pivot 25 to the bracket arm 26 which, in turn, is rigidly mounted on the fuselage I 1. Thus, the ring [9 is prevented from rotation, but is nevertheless free to tilt in response to the tilt produced in the rotor hub l5. .Furthermore, because the stub shafts l6 are rigidly mounted on the rotor hub I5, ring l9 will be constantly parallel to any plane that may be se lected equidistant from the center of the hub through the stub shafts l6 or any extensions thereof, and, in particulan'ring (9 will be constantly parallel to the plane of the wing tip path, or normal to the virtual axis of rotation.

The ring l9 has aflixed thereto a member or shell 21 in the form of a spherical segment and having an opening at its lower extremity; as 'it.' appears in the drawing, to permit passage of the shaft I2. The opening of the shell 21 is suf- -ficientto permit tilt in the order of 7 /2--in- 3 either direction. Thus, the rotor hub tilt is sufficient to accommodate any tilt that may be incurred during flight and the rotor hub tilt is transmitted to the ring l9 and through it to shell 27.

The inner surface of shell 27 is a bearing surface andcooperatesv with the outer: surfacerofii'a second member or shell28 which is also" in the form of a spherical segment and has an origin concentric with that of shell 21 and coincident with the axis of universal joint- [4. The. lift. from the rotor hub is transmitted through. the. shell 21, through the bearing surface between members 21 and 28 and thereon into shell- 28? The shell 28 has a cylindrical extension atthebottom thereof which extends down into the fuselage H and is there rigidlyfattach'edrtotal flange 29 which,. in turn, is mounted within the fuselage l l on the rubber shock mounts'3 l'3l to be resilient to horizontal vibrational movements.

Angular movements of "the flange 29-? are prevented by a plurality of contact pads lit-32:" These pads 32-32 are mounted on the fuselage; H'and on theflange 29'-in' a manner to: permit free horizontal movement.

The shaft [2 provided with the-1 fiange'33 which; in turn; rests ona ball bearing 34 th'rough which the weight of the entire sustaining'means is=transmittedto the fuselage during a condition of-restmf the sustaining meanss From the foregoing, it will be seentth'atwhen the-sustaining-means provides lift either'through forced rotation or 'autorotation; this .-lift isstranse 'mittedfromtlie rotating wings through. vtherstubii:

shafts i6 through the =rotor hub i5; through-the:-

connecting' bearings I 1, through the ring; l Stand its'associatedmemb'er 2 1 to theimemberflfl and. thenceythrough the flange 29 to the fuselage-off the craft l l'i Furthermore, from the aforesaidiit 'Wi'llibe seen that while therotor: hub I5? isxmounted' to? be rotatable and tiltabl'e inany direction, the. ring. I '9-is' not rotatable but is tiltable with the. rotor. r hub as is the shell 21. Shell 28 afiords:'a;:bear;- ingsurface: for'sthe'tshelL. 21,? thereby; serving as a means- 0f transmitting lift' rrom'the shell;

ZTto: the fuselage-1 l ofthe'rcraft;

In the'shell 28are locateda pluralityof ports: such -ass 35 andi'36. The port' 35-fiserves.asan.i opening: through which lubricating substances may be suppliedtto maintain. an-oil. film between therbearingisurfaces.2] and 28: Port 36;- onsthe= other hand; provides. a; spray of lubricating ;substances :for theipurpose of lubricating2thezmechanisms: withini the. spherical; segmentsi directly above; thereto; which: will be later described: hereim.

Pump:31.:located1within.the fuselage; I l ISGTVGSF toocirculater: oil; and-build: up: oil. pressure he tweerrithee hearing: surfaces; through; the lines: 38:. and .39, .the latter. line serving; as .a.;-return.i lineetocreturni theioilz to;the.:sump 4 2:i

A'1.thirdi,'shel1 '43; partially surrounds: the shell.

21ers. provide; a;. drip& pan .for: the. oil. This:

mmberA31haszprovidedin it a ring-'4 4*containing; are-material. such as: felt for-sealing; :thea-drip. pan.

from: thes outside for. all. conditions. of tilt" of?- she1l:2l: Thissdrip par-1 43 is rigidly; attached.v to the fuselage-in away'similar to" 'the' manner iii-which shell ZB isattachBd to .the fuselage:

Cyclical pitch and collective: pitch control are provided withintheshell 21. Due to the flexible arrangementofthe instant invention, novel:

meansfor: varying pitch from. a. point external toetheishell flareprovided': Thus;. for:t-collec cylindrical member 13. Thus,.- as the: shaft-.12

tive pitch control, a flexible shaft 45 acting through a gear mechanism 46 imparts rotation to the shaft 41 through which a bevel gear 48 imparts rotation to a cylindrical member 49. The member 49 is suitably secured to a boss integral with the ring I9 and extending downward- 1y; therefrom into the." cavity formed by the spherical members 21 and-28: This-cylindrical member 49 has a plurality of angularly disposed grooves, such as is illustrated at 5|, and placed within .theseangularly disposed grooves are a plurality of pins 52 mounted on the spherical segment 53 and disposed in a manner that rotation ofthecylindrical member 49, provides movement. ofth'esepinswithin the angularly disposed grooves 5| which' will cause these pins to be uniformallymaisedvertically. These pins 52 being rigidly attached to the spherical segment 53 cause" this spherical segment to be vertically moved therewith as is desired for collective pitch change:

Thus, by rotation of -theshaft 45 the spherical.

member: 53 is raised-or lowered as is desired-.-

Within the--: spherical segment 53 is a mating:

spherical segment 54--(better viewed in Fig. 4). This: inner spherical member 54-hasdisposed thereon' at 90 degree displacement;v two curved" inner gear-rack segments 55--55. The inner spherical segment Skis arranged" to fit: within. the outer-spherical: segment 53 ina manner permitting: relative. tiltrltherebetween'. This relative tilt .is produced: through the rotation: of the wormigear 'fil which is caused .to rotate-by ac tion; ofrthe-bevelled. gears 62 and :63: responsive to rotation of the'shaf-t 64 to thefgearing arrange-- ment-65aand-.thence, to-aflexible shaft 66. Each of the gears fi2 is-keyed orsplined on its respec tive shaft, as indicated in Fig. 2, so that'it may slide longitudinally thereon and yet maintain driving engagement with its respective gear63 throughout. the range of vertical movementof.

the shaf-tandits-associated worm 6i whichare raised and lowered with sphericalmember 53 dun-- ing changes in collective pitch. As there are two such arrangements-(only one beingshown in Fig.

2), acting on the inner spherical member 54,rota-- tion oftwo shafts such as 66-at 90 to each other will cause .the inner spherical member 54 to tilt relative tothe outer spherical member 53. Dis position of the shafts 66 relative to the longitu dinal and lateral axes of the aircraft is governed.

b z-consideration.ofthe gyroscopic properties of the rotating elements, and may be angularly dis placed approximately 90? contra to the direction of.. rotation.of the rotor. Inthis manner the 'tiltofthe. virtualaxis produced by the cyclic. pitchv mechanism .will .bein accordance .with the-- movements of pilotscontrol stick.

Mounted within the. inner spherical memberv 541.is.a.cylindrical ring ll rigidly affixed thereto.

This cylindrical. segment orring- H mounts-a ball bearing '|.2..which,. in. turnrisarranged. onthe periphery of .a second cylindrical ring; 13. secondcylindrical ring. l3-is '.-free to rotatewithin the-firstcylindrical member H but isytiltable in response to the tilt -of.the:- first cylindrical.

memberz'll because of. the'connecting ball bearing-:12. Cylindricarmember I3 is, however, con-. nected to be rotatable with the rotor through the connectingstorque arm-14; hung'from the inside ofrotorhubl5as-by stub shaft 14' (see Fig. 3). The pivot and the arm-l6 extending there-i from having a: ball 67 mounted within a socket 11 which/in turn, is rigidly mounted'onthe'inner This I rotates, that rotation is imparted to the arm "through the armlfi to the cylindrical member I3, and the connecting pivot at permits undisturbed rotation of the cylindrical member I3 for any position of tilt of the rotor hub I5. The elements I I, I2 and I3 together form a swash plate assembly for adjusting the vertical movement of the rods BI, and thus the pitch ofthe wings. This swash plate assembly is conveniently enclosed in the cavity formed by the members 21 and 28.

Disposed in equal spacing on the cylindrical ring I3 are a plurality of rods 8| which extend therefrom to an offset arm 82 0f a rotary wing segment 83. These connecting rodsziii'serve to move the rotating wing 83 in pitch. g

I As hereinbefore mentioned, the wings 83 are pivotally mounted on the stub shafts IE to be movablein pitch. This motion in pitch is transmitted from the rotating inner cylindrical mem ber 13 through the rods 8| to the offset arm of. the .wing 83, thereby producing desired cyclicalpitch variations. a i

From the aforesaid, it can be seen that when collective pitch control is desired, the outer spherical member 53 is raised or lowered in response to the desired setting of the shaft caus- 7 ing the rods BI to collectively change the pitch setting of the rotating wings 83. However, when cyclical pitch control is desired, the inner spherical member 54 is tilted relative tothe outer sphere ical member 53, thereby displacing the rods BI in a nonuniform manner and. consequently, causing cyclical pitch variations to be applied to the win s 83. I

While on smaller ships, it appearsthat the type of wings set'forth in Fig. 3, namely, the single segment type, appear to be most advantageous, in larger craft, having a large rotor diameter, constructional limitations might prevent the incorporation of this type of wing. Therefore, for a larger craft, a wing, including two segments having equal spanwise stiffness, is provided wherein an inner segment IKBI is of the stressed skin type construction having a tilt'able therewith but is not capable of pitch variations. However, an outer wing segment it;

is provided and is movable about a quarter chord pitch axis which affords pitch variations in a manner to be hereinafter described.

If the two segmental wing construction is used in conjunction with the rotor herein-before set forth, the mechanisms within the rotor hub would be identical to that hereinbefcre described, the only change being in the wing construction. Thus, the pitch control rods 8| extend upwardly through the rotor hub I5 and serve to displace lever arm III. The arm III is rotatably mounted on a shaft I and rotates the lever arm H2 through a suitable sleeve connection depending upon the direction of rotation of arm III. The lever arm II2 has connected to its lower end, a

rod I I3 which controls the position of the valving element of control valve II4 which forms part of a booster meehanism'for augmenting the control force to the outer wing segment I82. Movement imparted by lever III therefore operates the control valve II4 to allow fluid pressure from line I I4 to enter the master cylinder I I5, thereby causing its piston and piston rod I I6 to rotate a drum or double ended sector I lathrough a lever IIB-operatively connected thereto. A hydraulic pump MI is provided for supplying fluid power to the booster mechanism just described. This.

pump may be located within each of the inner wingsections or segments and derives its driving-power from a ring gear I42 which is secured to the upper surface of ring I9.. Therefore, as the inner wing rotates, the pump I4I rotating therewith is empowered by rotation of a suitable gear connection I43 as it rotates around the fixed ring gear I42. Suitable fluid connections I44 are provided to both supply fluid to' the pump I4I from the pool of oil serving as a sump for the booster mechanism which may be maintained within the bowl member 21, 28 as above described,

and; to exhaust fluid from the master cylinder II5 to the pool or sump. Also, fluid connection II4 connects control valve II4 with the pump I4 I. Thus there is provided a booster mechanism completely enclosed within the inner wing segment for augmenting the rotational force originally supplied by the pitch control rods 8|.

This sector member II 9 is double ended and has a flat steel tape I2I attached at the top and bottom of the sector member I19. As the tape I2I is displaced upon rotation of sector II.9, translatable members I22, which are rigidly attached to the tape I2I and are located at the outer extremity of the inner wing segment IBI, are moved either inwardly or outwardly. Each of these members I22, is provided with an angular or inclined groove I23 carved in the periphery thereof, and these grooves receive the pins I24 that are located on the inner side of a sleeve I 32 which fits over the members I22 thereby causing rotation of the sleeve I32 whenever the members I22 are translated or displaced inwardly or outwardly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the wing.

Sleeve I32 rigidlymounts thereon the outer wing, segment I82 and whenever the sleeve I32 rotates the outer wing segment I82 will rotate therewith The inner side of the members I22 are provided with a rack gear I33 which mesh with the gear I 34 located in a supporting member I35 to provide uniform displacement of the members I22. Thus, as the top member I22 moves outwardly, the bottom member I22 will be caused to be moved inwardly in response to motion transmitted through the gear I34. i Thus, this gear coordinates motion between the members I22. All parts of this pitch control from the pivot or fulcrum point of lever arm H8, including the steel tapes and gear I34 are designed to carry a major part of the running load due to centrifugal force. This motion transmitting means between member I I9 and the pivotal mounting I 32 of the rotor wing permits freedom of rotation of the outer-wing portion I82 but at the same time resists the outward force on the pivotal mounting generated by centrifugal action.

' In order to obtain information relative to the attitude of the outer wing, a vertical gyro 56,

of any well-knowntype, may be mounted on the ring I 9. This vertical gyro may have roll and pitchpickoifs of a sort well known to the art which .will provide a signal to instruments in the cabin 1; of; the: aircraft; k givingg: very" accurate in: formation: as .to' -the:-.position.pof;. theaplanesof? the: outerrwing tipst. These signals may be-zutilized: for. many purposes; Flight: instruments: responsive to such signals. and of: typesawell:knownszto; the: art may b'e-provided to: indicate :relative tilti andthis relative tiltwould f. be absolute: in: the: sense that it would not besafiected:byrspurious fuselage motion; Hencaiwhi-le heretofore much? effort was expendedxirr attempting to". cancel iout': thexeffect of fuselage'ipendulousa motion','= this-:type s of spurious; motion". does-J not affect: the instants arrangement; Therefore-agreatlya simplified:- so lution to .the problem :of. measuring: the? angle th'e virtual axis of i rotation makes with respect to: the true vertical is'obtained,

Since:- many changescould be made in theabove construction and many 'apparently wide-ly different embodiments of thissinvention could be; made. without departing from the scope tliereof', it is intended thatall' matter contained inthe above description or'shown inthe accompanying drawings shall 'be'interpreted as illustrative and" not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Inan aircraft of "the rotary wing type, a rotor mounted to be til'table'in any direction and' having wings pivotally mounted fonmovement about their longitudinal axis, a member in the form of a hollow spherical segmenthaving an inner bearing surface --m'ounted onsaid rotor tobe tiltable therewith, means connecting themem her and the aircraft-'to prevent'the rotation of the member relative to-the aircraft; a second member in the form ofa spherical segment mounted on the 'aircraftfuselage having an outer bearing surface concentric with and mating-with the inner bearing surfa'ceof thefi'rst member; and athird member" partially surrounding-the second 'member to provide a space therebetween" for receiving the first member, the third member serving to enclose the bearing surface:

2'. A rotor head for rotarygwing'aircraft comprising a rotor hub having aplurality'of "sustaining wings radiallyand pivotallymounted thereon. for adjustment in pitch, drivingmeansconnected to the hub by a'universal'coupling for rotating the rotor hub, first and second interfittingispherical segment members having a commoncenter. coincident with the center of'the 'universal'coupling, the first member being secured to thelcraft and-having means for journaling. the driving, means, means between the" second member and. the hub whereby the hub is rotatably mounted; with respect to'thesecond member; means'connecting' the second; member. and 1 the craft for. preventing rotation of the second member, swash platemeans rotatablysuppprted' on said; second member and within the spherical segment mem-h bars for adjusting the pitch of. the wings and, means connected between .the swash platev means and "the aircraft for controlling theoperatifon. of the swash platezmeans, said last recited'means being anchored in the secondfmembjerwhereby, the pitch adjusting means is. rendered, independent of the attitude of"the;aircraft..

3. A rotor headfor rotary wingaircraft com-.- prising a rotor hub having a plurality of .sus: taining wings pivotally mounted thereon for adjustment in" pitch; driving means including a universal joint forrotating'the hub,.firstand' second interfitting spherical segment members having a common axis coincident with theaxis' of; the" universal 1 connection, the first member'- being: secured: to: the craft and having means' 8. journalingithedr'rvingmeans;meanszbetweenthe second member." and: the hub: whereby; the: hub isrotatabli mounted withzrespect to .the second member; means: connected between the second member and 1 the ,1 aircraft to :prevent rotational movement. of the second. member about the axis of the driving means: but allowing relative tilt therebetween, a: swash plate rotatably supported on. said second member, meansconnecting, theswasht platewand pthe wings to adjust. the pitch thereof, means to raise and lower the swash plate-along an axis'coinci'dentwith the axis. of thecdriving. means to adjust the "collective pitch of the wings, means. to :ti'lt the :swashplate relattiveatozthe axis ofuthe driving means to' adjust the cyclic pitch of "thewings, and" means con-.- nected between the swashiplate and the-aircraft including the last two enamed means: to control the. movement of the swash plate-whereby the; pitch adjustingmeansis rendered in'dependentt of the attitude of the aircraft.-

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3'; wherein the means for adjusting the swash plate for collectivepitch control comprises a. first ring rotatably mounted'in the second member and having a pluralityof inclined slots therein, a second ring supporting the swash plate and having a plurality of pins each engaging a corresponding slot in the first ring, and'means: actuated by'the swash plate adjusting means andconnected to the first ring for rotating the first ring relative to the second-ring thereby to '-raise-and lower th'esecond ringzrelative to the first ring.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3,1wherein the means for adjusting the swash plate for cyclic-pitch control comprises; afirst ringfixed in tilt relative to the hub; asecond'ring tiltably mounted within the first 'ringrotatably supporting the -swashplate; a rackand worm connection between the second and first rings respectively for effecting relative-movement therebetween, the

rack'being disposed"substantiallyparallel to the axis of rotation of theswash plate; whereby rotation of the worm will cause tilting of the swash-plate relative to the axis, and means actuated'by theswash plate controlling means to rotatethe worm.

6.- In a rotary wing aircraft having a rotor hub with a plurality of' sustaining wings pivotally-'' mounted thereon for adjustment in pitch, a swash plate; a pitch adjusting armfor-each of the wings pivotally connected to the swash plate, means to' adjust the-swash plate relative to'the hub comprising a first ring axially fixed relative to the hub and having a plurality of'inclined slots therein, a second ring rotatably supporting the swash plate and having'a plurality of pins each engaging a correspondingslot in the first ring, and means associated' with the aircraft and connected-to the first ring to rotate the first ring relative to the second ring whereby to raise-and lower the swash plate relative to the hub.

7. In a rotary wingaircraft having a rotor hub with a plurality of sustaining wings pivotally mounted thereon' for adjustment in pitch, a"

first ring whereby to 'tilt'the swash plate relative the pitch adjustment of the outer wing section, a

drum member pivotally mounted within the inner wing section adjacent the hub for rotation about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and adapted to be rotated by the pitch adjusting control mechanism, means translatable in directions parallel to the longitudinal axis at the end of the inner wing section adjacent the pivotal mounting means having slots therein inclined relative to the longitudinal axis, pins on the outer wing section disposed within the slots for rotating the outer wing section upon translation of the translatable means, and tension means connecting the drum and the translatable means for transmitting the motion of the pitch adjusting means to the outer wing portion.

MORTIMER F. BATES.

10 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,294,361 Nash Feb. 11, 1919 1,701,762 Pitcairn Feb. 12, 1929 2,021,470 Upson Nov. 19, 1935 2,023,105 Smith Dec. 3, 1935 2,068,617 Wilford et a1 Jan. 19, 1937 2,108,839 Wilford et a1 Feb. 22, 1938 2,162,794 Von Osboth June 20, 1939 2,163,893 Schairer June 27, 1939 2,164,678 Bennett July 4, 1939 2,216,080 Johnson Sept. 24, 1940 2,216,164 Schairer Oct. 1, 1940 2,368,698 Young Feb. 6, 1945 2,376,523 Synnestvedt May 22, 1945 2,410,609 Pecker Nov. 5, 1946 2,410,963 De Chappedelaine Nov. 12, 1946 2,425,651 Stalker Aug. 12, 1947 2,529,479 Bates Nov. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 851,766 France Oct. 9, 1939 

